Thursday, September 29, 2011

Some days it's something fun, giving me a sense of productivity and even a little creativity... while other days it's just a necessity so that the kids don't end up with their sixth peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the week.

But whether I'm in the mood to try something elaborate and new or just want to throw together a quick meal that I'm sure my family will love, I've come to learn that a lot depends on the cookware. Originally I had assumed that a pan is a pan and a pot is a pot... until I was introduced to Bialetti Aeternum Cookware last year and realized that wasn't actually the case.

Having thoroughly enjoyed their high quality saute pans, I had no doubt that the Bialetti Trends Pasta Pot would have the same effect while also looking just as attractive. Who isn't inspired in the kitchen when their noodles are being dropped into something that looks this good?

A large 5-quart size, the Bialetti Pasta Pot is available in three great colors - Purple Passion, Orange Spice and Blue Cheer - to add a little cheer into your life. Perfect for everything from pasta to vegetables to potatoes to nearly any sort of cooking that requires draining, this innovative and high quality pot features a locking built-in strainer so that you can say goodbye to your old colander.

Having tried a pot with an in-lid strainer once in the past and having it fail miserably as I watched my pasta dump down into the sink and garbage disposal, I was ready to see if Bialetti had indeed created one that would make cooking more convenient.

Right out of the box I was admiring the silicone lacquer exterior and how nice the heat-resistant handles felt to hold, not to mention just how practical of an idea it is to have the strainer right there in the lid.

As I removed and replaced the lid a few times, it was also easily evident that this wasn't going to be a repeat of the cheap pot from years ago. Instead of just sitting in place like a traditional lid, the Pasta Pot lid actually locks in place so that you can drain water safely and easily.

Simply line up the lid at a slight angle to the pot and twist until it is secure.

When it came time to cook, the Bialetti Pasta Pot did not disappoint - what a great tool!

The oval shape makes it just right for spaghetti or lasagna noodles to stay whole (no more breaking them to fit), the aluminum construction leads to even heat conduction, and the non-stick interior helps make sure that all of our food is cooked just right.

And, of course, draining the water out is a breeze. Even though we were tentative the first time, tipping slightly...

...and then slightly further...

...and then finally dumping the whole thing over to discover that the lid held tight exactly how it is designed to do!

I've had complete trust in my Pasta Pot ever since and it has yet to let me down. My meals have come out tasting great and even on those instances when I don't get around to doing the dishes right away (lack of time or just pure laziness? Hmm...) the non-stick interior of this pot means that clean-up is still a breeze. Plus, having not used a separate strainer, that means one less item to have to wash!

Available directly from Bialetti, the Trends Pasta Pot retails for $34.95 and is just another example of the high quality, unique, modern Italian designs that Bialetti provides at affordable prices. Whether you are an amateur or an experienced cook, their products can add style and convenience to your kitchen or will make a great gift!

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will soon be able to whip up their favorite dish quickly and easily as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Bialetti Trends Pasta Pot!

To enter to win: Visit Bialetti and tell me another of their innovative and high quality products (not mentioned above) that you would like to own.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry if you Like Bialetti on Facebook.1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on October 20th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Bialetti for providing a Trends Pasta Pot for me to review as well for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.